Folding clothes rack



1957 M. L. MARSHALL 2,816,668

FOLDING CLOTHES RACK Filed Feb. 14, 1955 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mary L. Marshall INVENTOR.

BY -MW Dec. 17, 1957 M. L. MARSHALL ,8

FOLDING CLOTHES RACK Filed Feb. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5 Fig.6

Mary L. Marshall IN VEN TOR.

BY M

United States This invention relates generally'to racks for the purpose 'of storing andhanging-clothing and garments thereon, and is more particularly directed to a readily assembled and disassembled clothing' rack which is conducive to being stored in a relatively small space, economical to manufacture', sturdy in construction, and adapted tobe used at varying heights in order that both children and adults may utilize the same.

A further object of'in'vention', in conformance wi'ththat set forth above, is to provide a fol'dable storage rack for clothing and the like, which is readily assembled-and disassembled', utilizing a plurality of readily transportable parts, and which is adapted to be extended to a relatively unlimited length depending upon the area in which it is to'be used.

And still another object of invention in conformance with those set forth above, is to provide in the aforementioned clothingrack. means cooperating with garment supporting portions for retaining hanger supporting clip elements in a relatively fi-xedposition on supporting rods of said rack. in: order toprevent wrinkling of the garments supported thereon.

These together with other objects andladvantages'which will become subsequently apparent reside in thed et-ails of construction and operation as more-fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accomp'anying. drawings. forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View ofthe erected portable clothing rack showinghowthe clothing rack can be utilized with atsuitable storage space and a-support wall;

Figure Zisa perspective view of one of'the vertical support elements of. the clothing-rack assembly showing how extension elements may be provided to increase the height of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a wall anchor plate of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an anchor bolt utilized with the anchor plate of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a vertical support element of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a vertical support extending element which may be utilized with that shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a pivotal horizontal support element which extends between the vertical support elements of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a retaining or hold clip member utilized on the horizontal support elements of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a hanger support loop element utilized with the horizontal support elements of the clothing rack assembly;

Figure 10 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the horizontal support element and hanger support loop element, with the retaining or hold clip coaent C) 2,8l@,6h8 Patented Dec. 17, 1957 operating therewith shown prior to adjustment to a locking position; and

Figure 11 is a view similar to that of Figure 10 showing the retaining or clip element in a locking position.

A clothing rack assembly is indicated generally at 10 and includes a plurality of vertical support elements 12 connected by pivotal horizontal support elements 14, one of which is connected to a wall anchor plate 16. As indicated in Figure 1, the wall anchor plate may be secured within a suitable recess 18 of a support wall 20 wherein the clothing rack assembly may be stored when not in use. The various cooperating parts of the clothing rack assembly may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic, aluminum, etc., and the parts will be so proportioned tobe adaptedfor the particular space in which the clothing rack assembly will be used. In the event, however, the vertical support elements 12 may be used in a kindergarden for example wherein they would be approximately three feet in height, the same assembly couldbeutilize'd-with extending elements 22 for providing asupportin'g'lrack at approximately 6 feet in height to be utilized by adults as will subsequently become apparent. In is believed readily apparent, that when the extending elements 22 areprovided', as shown in Figure 2, the upper horizontal support elementsmay be utilized for a jacket for example and the lower ones may accommodate a mans trousers. Although the clothing rack assembly is illustrated in Figure 1 as cooperating with the recess 18' in the wall, it is believed readily apparent that the wall anchorplat'e maybe secured to the outer'flat surface of a wall 20.

Thewall anchor plate is secured in any suitable manner by -m'e'an's' of 4 apertures 24 ina base plate member '26; said base plate member including an outwardly'extendi-ng horizontal .support element 28 which includes therein a vertical. open ended passage 30.

Vertical support elements 12 are illustrated as circular ro'd -like members, however, they may be of any desired cross sectional configuration, and include at one end", if desired, a: conventional caster wheel assembly 32, and have at the: other endan integral pivotal support pin 34 rising out of a support or bearing surface 36, the purpose of which to become subsequently apparent.

The exten'di'ng elements 22 arecomprised of rods of a similar. cross sectional configuration to that ofthe vertical support elements 12 including at one end longitudinally extending apertures 38 for accommodating therein a pin 34, and include at the other end a support pin 40 which is similar to pin 34, said pin 40 extending from a support surface 42 on the element 22.

The horizontal pivotal support elements 14 are of any desirable cross sectional configuration and comprise elongated rod-like elements having at each of the ends vertical apertures 44 which are pivotally received on either the pin elements 34 or 40, and surrounding the apertures 44 on both sides thereof are suitable bearing surfaces 46 (only the upper being shown in Figure 7) said bearing surfaces cooperating with the bearing surfaces 36, 42 and the lower end of element 22 which surrounds the elongated aperture or passage 38.

As seen in Figure 1 one of the horizontal support elements 14 will be secured to the wall anchor plate 16 by means of an anchor pin or bolt 48 which includes a cap portion 50 thereon, and it is believed readily apparent that when the horizontal support element 14 is placed over the top of portion 28 of the Wall anchor plate, the pin 48 may be inserted between the cooperating apertures 44 and 30, and thus the horizontal support member 14 secured thereto will be pivotally supported. Again considering Figure 1, it will be observed that pairs of horizontal support elements 14 have their end apertures 44 aligned to be placed on top of the pins 34 of the vertical support elements 12 providing a readily assembled clothing rack with numerous pivotal sections which may be extended for any length depending upon the space available, said clothing rack assembly being readily shifted about in view of the caster wheel assemblies 32, however, it is believed apparent that the clothing rack assembly may be used without said caster wheel assemblies on the vertical support elements. In the event it is desirable to increase the height of the clothing rack assembly, the elements 22 may be placed upon the elements 12 with the pin elements 34 extending into the longitudinal passages, and additional horizontal support elements 14 may be placed over the pins 40, as most clearly shown in Figure 2.

The horizontal support elements 14 may be either solid or hollow tubular elements, but in any event include on the lower side thereof longitudinally extending grooves 52 for slidably accommodating therein hanger support loop elements 54 which include the lower loop portion 56 of wire or any other suitable material, connected to a horizontal cap or tab portion 58, said portion 58 being inserted in through the apertures 44 which are of sufficient size to permit such insertion, and then slid longitudinally into the grooves 52.

The hanger support loop elements 54 are retained in a relatively fixed position by means of retaining or hold clip members 60 which include a pair of spring legs 62 having an open and lower slotted portion 64, said spring legs being connected on said slotted portions 64 by means of a bight portion 66. The clip 60 is of any suitable resilient material wherein the legs 62 are spread apart so that the retaining clip is concentrically disposed on the horizontal support elements 14 and in tight engagement therewith, each of the retaining clips being spaced on the support elements 14 at the position in which it is desired to have the anchor support loop elements located, the hanger sup port loop element portion 56 being located between the two legs 62 of said retaining clip element. As seen in Figure after the retaining clip element 60 is placed upon the horizontal support element 14 the bight portion 66 will normally be located opposite the slot 52 of the horizontal support element, after locating the loop element 54 between the two legs 62, as previously mentioned, the retaining clip 60 is rotated as seen in Figure 11, and accordingly, the hanger support loop element is retained between the two legs 62 of the retaining clip and longitudinal movement thereof is prevented.

Various positional directional terms such as front, rear, bottom, etc. are used herein to have a relative connotation and are not intended to be interpreted as requiring any particular orientation of the assembly with respect to any external elements.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A folding clothes rack comprising a plurality of vertical supports forming standards, a plurality of horizontal tubular supports having ends pivoted on the upper ends of the vertical supports for horizontal swinging whereby to fold the same and said vertical supports, said horizontal supports having, respectively, a longitudinal bottom slot therein, clothes hanger loops depending through said slots with supporting caps thereon in said horizontal supports, said loops being slidable in said slots to adjust the same into different positions along said horizontal supports, and resilient slotted clips on said horizontal supports straddling the same and slidable and rotatable thereon to straddle the loops in the adjusted positions of the loops for holding said loops in adjusted positions.

2. A clothes rack comprising a vertical support having a horizontal tubular support thereon provided with a longitudinal bottom slot therein, a clothes hanger loop depending out of said slot with a supporting cap in the horizontal support, said loop being slidable along the horizontal support for adjustment in different positions along the horizontal support, and a resilient slotted clip on said hori zontal support straddling the same and slidable and rotatable thereon to straddle the loop in the adjusted positions of the loop for holding the loop in adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,572 Gerhard Sept. 15, 1908 906,153 Ohlen Dec. 8, 1908 963,030 Balch July 5, 1910 1,039,787 Nylund Oct. 1, 1912 1,319,997 Galloway et al Oct. 28, 1919 1,613,447 Ellberg J an. 4, 1927 1,984,001 Tanzer et al Dec. 11, 1934 2,627,980 Schwarz Feb. 10, 1953 2,706,563 Larson Apr. 19, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 280,127 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1952 580,789 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1946 719,968 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1954 

